Poll: Rhode Island voters fed up

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Part one of a two-part series

Rhode Island voters are getting increasingly fed up and angry with the way things are going in the state, according to a poll commissioned by Eyewitness News.

Fleming & Associates conducted the telephone poll of 401 Rhode Island registered voters between May 11 and May 14.

The continuing budget haggling at the General Assembly, disgust over the North Providence corruption case and the idea to consolidate fire departments and other services seemed to have an impact on the survey.

People were thinking, "Here we go again in Rhode Island, more politicians being arrested, trying to get kickbacks," Eyewitness News political analyst Joe Fleming said. "So I think people are saying, 'We're not moving anywhere, we're not making any changes,' so I think the numbers haven't changed because of things like this."

Among the questions: Which way do you think the budget crisis should be solved: Raising taxes or cutting spending and services?

Of the respondents, 66.1 wanted to cut spending, up from 60.5 percent from a similar Eyewitness News poll in January. The next most popular answer was to raise taxes— 12.7 percent of respondents — and 12.5 percent said both should happen. The remaining 8.7 percent were not sure.

"There's no question it's an opportunity for the General Assembly," Fleming said. "People are going to be more receptive to cuts now knowing that the budget is in a very difficult position, and that the state does not have the money."

Gov. Don Carcieri said he hopes the General Assembly sees the results from the poll.

"I'm a little concerned right now because the revenues came in better," he said, "then suddenly, everybody's, 'Okay, gosh, now we don't need to cut. We just take the money and go home.' No, that's the wrong decision."

The poll asked those who suggested raising taxes which taxes should be raised. Of the 51 respondents who answered, 45.1 percent said the sales tax should be raised, 35.3 percent said the income tax should increase, and 15.7 percent said property taxes should go up. The remaining 3.9 percent were not sure.

Of the 265 people who said spending should be cut, 37.7 percent said services should be regionalized, 28.7 percent said pensions should be cut, 11.3 percent said schools should be consolidated and 9.1 percent said state workers should be laid off. The rest, 13.2 percent, were not sure.

"They see slow changes happening. They see little changes with the pension system. They see tiny things being done with regionalizing," Fleming said. "People want to see change, and until they see major changes, I don't think they're going to think the state is moving in the right direction."

The poll, which was conducted before Central Falls High School teachers reached an agreement to keep their jobs, asked how much the respondents agreed with the firing of every teacher at the school. Of the 401 respondents, 49.1 percent agreed on some level — 20.4 percent strongly and 28.7 percent somewhat — while 43.4 percent disagreed — 29.4 percent strongly and 14.0 percent somewhat. The remaining 7.5 percent were unsure.

Complete poll results are posted on a special section of WPRI.com.

On Tuesday, Eyewitness News will release more results — including how many people think Rhode Island is moving in the right direction.